YSS stands for Authorized Economic Operator Certificate. Companies must have the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate to be eligible for Authorized Economic Operator Status. Decisions regarding the topic are issued in the '150 Questions on Authorized Economic Operator Status' notice published on the official website of the Turkish Ministry of Trade in 2013. You can benefit from ODS Consulting Services to understand legal issues and conduct detailed examinations with expert consultancy.

What is the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

The Authorized Economic Operator Certificate is detailed in the first part of the Regulation on the Simplification of Customs Procedures of the General Directorate of the Turkish Ministry of Trade. The certificate organized on behalf of authorized persons to benefit from simplified applications deemed appropriate by the regulation, facilitation related to declaration control, and other simplifications covering security controls is called the authorized economic operator certificate. Generally defined, it is a symbol of the privileges that reliable firms, which fulfill customs obligations and meet other requirements, have earned to facilitate their customs operations. The authorized economic operator certificate grants the company an international status in customs operations.

How to Obtain the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

The Authorized Economic Operator Certificate can be obtained upon approval of the application made to the relevant Trade Regional Directorate by real or legal persons established in Turkey's customs area, including free zones, who have conducted activities for at least three years and completed at least one hundred declaration transactions in the last year. The person making the application must be the legally authorized representative of the company with signature authority. Additionally, applications for the certificate by customs brokers are considered invalid. The company's legal representative must apply to the relevant regional directorate, utilizing the table in Annex 20 of the Regulation on the Simplification of Customs Procedures according to the company's registry supplement. Upon approval of the application, companies gain the right to receive the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate.

What Are the Requirements for the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

As stated in the Authorized Economic Operator Information Brochure, there are specific requirements to obtain the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate. The requirements for Authorized Economic Operators include;
● Reliability,
● Financial adequacy and assurance,
● Reliability and traceability of records,
● Ability to ensure safety.

The requirements for companies include;
● Having at least three years of operational activity, including in free zones,
● Conducting at least one hundred transactions on an annual basis within the scope of declarations,
● ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 compliance with customs legislation,
● Staying away from crimes threatening financial and national security,
● Not having any tax, premium, insurance, or customs debt.

What Are the Advantages of the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

As stated in the Authorized Economic Operator Information Brochure of the Turkish Ministry of Trade, the advantages provided by the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate include;
● Increase in your credibility in domestic and international markets, recognition, and increased demand for your company,
● Reduction in transaction costs,
● Reduction in processing times,
● Increase in your competitive power,
● Ability to benefit from the privileges in partner countries,
● Reduction of uncertainties observed in shipments,
● Strengthening relationships with the customs administration,
● Opportunities for collaboration with customs administration.

Who Can Apply for the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

It is possible for real and legal persons located in the Turkish customs area, who have at least three years of activity and have performed one hundred transactions with the customs administration within the last year, to apply for the authorized economic operator certificate.

How Often Is the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate Audited?

As stated in paragraph (c) of Article 10 of the Customs Law, holders of the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate are required to update it once a year from the date the certificate is issued.

Where to Apply for the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

The steps for applying for the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate are specified in the Authorized Economic Operator Information Brochure of the Turkish Ministry of Trade. The required documents for the application are stated in Article 10 of the Regulation on the Simplification of Customs Procedures. You can apply to the TC Customs and Trade Regional Directorate identified in the table according to the institution listed in your commercial registry details along with the specified documents. The regional directorates where applications can be accepted are as follows:
● Eastern Black Sea Customs and Trade Regional Directorate
● Eastern Marmara Customs and Trade Regional Directorate
● Aegean Customs and Trade Regional Directorate
● GAP Customs and Trade Regional Directorate
● Istanbul Customs and Trade Regional Directorate
● Central Anatolia Customs and Trade Regional Directorate
● Central Mediterranean Customs and Trade Regional Directorate
● Uludag Customs and Trade Regional Directorate

What Are the Simplified Procedures within the Scope of the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

According to the matters stated by the Turkish Ministry of Trade, the simplified procedures within the scope of the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate include;
● Incorrect declaration method
● Partial guarantee,
● Overall guarantee,
● Permission to arrange and visa A.TR,
● Permission to declare invoice regardless of the value of goods/EUR.MED invoice declaration,
● Comprehensive simplified process for vehicles with complete declarations,
● Ability to present analysis reports from six months prior for the import of goods specified in the Customs Regulation,
● Ability to receive goods without regard to analysis results according to the Customs Regulation,
● Ability to receive certain fuels and derivatives before presenting the bill of lading,
● Customs clearance at the export site,
● Customs clearance at the import site,
● Authorized sender,
● Authorized receiver,
● Ability to provide indefinite guarantees for each of the guarantees in the overall guarantee application,
● Ability to provide partial guarantees in guaranteed transactions.

Additionally, simplified applications observed in declaration controls under the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate include;
● Ability to pass through border gates preferentially,
● Ability to make summary declarations consisting of reduced mandatory information,
● Ability to process in the green line.

What Are the YYS-1 and YYS-2 Statuses?

In addition to the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate of the Turkish Ministry of Trade, YYS-1 and YYS-2 statuses have been established.
The conditions for YYS-1 are as follows:
● Having exported 5 million dollars in the last year as a manufacturer and employed an average of 50 people or having exported 10 million dollars in the last year as a manufacturer.

The conditions for YYS-2 are as follows:
● Having exported 1 million dollars in the last year as a manufacturer and employed an average of 30 people or having exported 5 million dollars in the last year as a manufacturer.

What Are the Documents Required for the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate Application?

The documents required during the application for the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate are as follows;
● Certificate application form
● Certificate inquiry form
● Judicial record documents/declaration forms
● Judicial record documents to be submitted to the official authority of the members of the board of directors, real persons holding more than ten percent of the company’s capital, and those who work involved in customs operations,
● If available, signed declaration forms of board members, real persons with more than ten percent of the company's capital, and those involved in customs and foreign trade operations,
● Documents indicating that the company or legal entity has no debts,
● Written statement indicating no tax debt, insurance debt, or customs debt,
● YMM Report showing the company’s financial condition,
● ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Certificates.

What Are the Obligations of Holders of the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate?

Holders of the Authorized Economic Operator Certificate have obligations that must be fulfilled. The obligations are as follows:
● If there are changes in the conditions required for the certificate, it must be reported by being updated to the relevant regional directorate
● In cases where the certificate is used by different persons despite specifying in whose name it is issued, it must be reported by being reissued to the relevant regional directorate
● Facilitation of audits to ensure that the specified conditions for the certificate are met
● The inquiry form must be updated and reported to the relevant regional directorate once a year for audit purposes
● If there are changes in the persons defined under the authorized status and additional conditions exist, the six-month period provided by the customs administration must be adjusted to conform to the changes
● Risk factors identified by the relevant directorate must be eliminated by certificate holders within six months.